Borussia Dortmund’s Axel Witsel confirmed last week that he will be leaving the club at the end of the season upon the expiration of his contract in Germany.
The Belgian has been with the Bundesliga side since 2018 and has played 103 times for BVB in Germany’s top division. At 32-years-old, the midfielder isn’t the same formidable force he once was but is still looking for a new challenge elsewhere for next season.
According to TuttoJuve, one of the teams said to be interested is Newcastle, who are willing to hand Witsel a £160,000-a-week contract at St James’ Park. The Magpies will face competition, however, with Juventus also said to be eyeing up the midfielder on a free.
Witsel is a physically strong player, who is known for both his defensive and offensive qualities. The Belgian likes to progress the ball with short passes, is strong in the air and can be used to protect a backline, which could be his role at Newcastle.
In Eddie Howe’s 4-3-3, the 32-year-old would most likely be used as a pivot in front of the back four. This would allow the Magpie’s more creative players such as Guimaraes to operate in more dangerous areas higher up the pitch.
This would be a solid signing for Howe’s side but £160k-a-week seems a bit much for a player on the decline.